Happy Birthday Mario and Donkey Kong

Published 8 months, 3 weeks ago by Christopher Buffa

Donkey Kong debuted in arcades on July 9, 1981 according to Wikipedia, delivering an addictive experience that still captivates the world today; even rap icon Eminem posts high scores. That means both DK and his arch rival, Mario (known as Jumpman in those days) are 33 years old; Pauline too! Happy birthday, fictional Nintendo characters!

The original Donkey Kong was unique in that it was among the first platform games to feature multiple levels and the ability to jump. Similar to most titles in the early 80s, it drew players in with a handful of easy stages before punishing arcade goers with a sharp increase in difficulty, which you’ll learn about in the superb documentary, The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters.